Combination electric receptacle and fuse



Aug. 7, 1951 P. P. PROCOPIO 2,563,066

COMBINATION ELECTRIC RECEPTACLE AND FUSE Filed Sept. 10, 1949 l2 /4 INVENTOR.

PETER 1-? PRULJPJU igdw A TTDJP/VEY Patented Aug. 7, 1 951 COMBINATION ELECTRIC RECEPTACLE AND FUSE Peter P. Procopio, Red Bank, N. J.

Application September 10, 1949, Serial N 0. 114,974

4 Claims.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in electric receptacles and more particularly to an electrical receptacle having a fuse and pilot light combined therein.

It is an object of this invention to provide an attachment receptacle that may be plugged into any present outlet and which provides a pilot light to indicate that said outletis live.

A further object of this invention is to provide a plug-in receptacle that is provided with a fuse and a pilot light.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a plug-in receptacle that is provided with a pilot light to indicate that said receptacle is live and a second pilot light is provided to indicate when said receptacle is connected to a second plug-in device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plug-in receptacle that is arranged in such a manner that a first pilot light indicates the receptacle is live and a second pilot light indicates when a second plug-in unit is energized and in which a fuse is mounted in the plug-in receptacle to protect the second plug-in device and said fuse is mounted to facilitate easy replacement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plug-in receptacle that is arranged in such a manner that a first pilot light indicates the receptacle is live and a second pilot light indicates when a second plug-in unit is energized and in which a fuse and a switch are mounted so that the fuse will protect the second plug-in device and the switch permits making or breaking the circuit to the second plug-in device.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent by reference to the accompanying description and the drawing in which Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic circuit of one embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a plug-in unit incorporating the circuit illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, illustrating the wiring within the p u Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the same plu Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of another embodiment of this invention, and

Fig. 6 is a cut away section of a plug incorporating the circuit illustrated in Fig.5.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is illustrated a schematic wiring diagram in which a male plug I is provided and a female plug II is provided and a pair of pilot lights l2 and I4 are provided and a fuse l and switch I6 are provided. There are two connecting lines I1 and IS. The units are connected in the following manner, one side of plug I!) is connected by means of line ll to one side of plug II, the opposite side of plug I0 is connected to a fuse I5 by means of line iii. The opposite side of fuse I5 is connected by line ISA to one side of a switch I6, the opposite side of switch [6 is connected by means of line I8B to the opposite side of plug II. The pilot light I2 is placed adjacent to plug I0 and is connected on each side to the lines I! and I8. The pilot light I4 is placed adjacent to the plug II and is connected on either side to the lines I! and I8B. It is apparent that when the plug I0 is plugged into a live circuit that the lamp l2 will immediately be energized to indicate the circuit as live. With the plug I0 so mounted, this circuit is ready for use. Any plug-in device may then be plugged into plug 1 I; in order that the device may be energized switch I6 must be closed. Upon closing switch [6, the pilot light [4 will be energized to indicate the circuit to the second plug-in unit as completed. It is apparent that with this circuit so connected the plug-in device is protected by means of fuse I5 and in the event of a short circuit or overload through the device plugged into plug ll, fuse I5 will receive the overload and burn out without affecting the main circuit into which plug ID has been mounted. This is due to the fact that in every case plug l5 must be of an amperage less than the fuse used in the main circuit. Referring to Fig. 2, there is illustrated a general appearance of a plug-in receptacle 20 incorporating the circuit described above. Fig. 3 illustrates the same plugin receptacle 20 showing the general arrangement of the component parts. That is, there is provided a body portion 2| with a hollowed out center portion 22 to provide ample space in which to mount the fuse I5 and the base receptacles 23 and 24 and the pilot lights I2 and [4 respectively, Also there is ample space provided for the switch I6. In this receptacle 20 there are provided a pair of female plugs II and the male plug I0 is incorporated as a part of the body portion 2 I. Thus the wiring in Fig. 3 does not follow the simple illustration shown in Fig. 1. However the connections are similar, that is, starting with the two connected elements or prongs of plug I0, we may follow one side of plug I0 through a line I! to a pilot light I4. From the same side of plug [0 there are provided connecting leads IIA, B and C, IIA being connected to one side of the female plug II and similarly I'IB being connected to one side of the other female plug II and H connects the same side of plug I0 to the pilot lamp I2. The opposite side of plug I0 is connected by means of a line I8 to one side of the fuse I5. The opposite side of fuse I is connected by means of a line IBA to the switch I6. The opposite side of switch I5 is connected by means of a line I8B to the opposite side of both of the female plugs II and is also connected to the opposite side of the pilot lamp I4. Line I8 is also connected to the opposite side of lamp I2. Thus with all of the component parts connected as described and with the face of the plug 20 covering these component units, the plug 20 will present the general appearance illustrated in Fig. 4. It may be noted that the face plate will be cut away around the fuse I5 so that the fuse is easily accessible to be removed when burned out, And it is to be noted that the switch I6 is mounted in such a relation that when closed the switch presents a face having a proper marking to indicate on andwhen the switch is opened it will also indicate a proper marking off. It is also to be noted that the face plate may be properly marked under each pilot light. In this instance, pilot light I2 has been marked M. C. meaning main circuit and pilot light I4 has been marked A. C. meaning auxiliary circuit. Thus with the unit plugged into a live line, the M. C. light will be energized and upon plugging in a unit into either of the plugs II and placing the switch I6 in an on position the A. 0. pilot lamp will be similarly energized.

A further embodiment of this invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 in which the circuit of Fig. 5 includes the male plug I0 and the female plug II, the pilot lamps I2 and I4 and the fuse I5. These components are connected by means of lines 11, I8 and ISA. The line H is connected from one side of the plug-in unit It to one side of the plug II. The line I8 is connected from the opposite side of plug II! to one side of the fuse I 5 and the opposite side of fuse I5 is connected by the line I8A to the opposite side of plug I I. Lamp I2 is placed adjacent to the plug I5 and is connected on either side to the lines I! and I8 and the lamp I4 is shunted across lines If and IBB adjacent to the plug I I. The line I813 is one side. of the plugged in device as illustrated in Fig. 5. Referring to Fig. 6 the circuit of Fig. 5 is incorporated in a body portion ZIA and is similar except that there are two female plugs II provided and the plug III is incorporated in the body member ZIA. The circuit in Fig. 6 may be similarly.

nected by means of line ISA to the opposite side of the female plugs II, and the opposite side of lamp I4. Thus it is apparent with this circuit that when the unit is plugged in by means of the prongs of plug III into a live circuit that the lamp I2 will be energized to indicate this receptacle is live and ready for use. As soon as any device having a closed circuit is plugged into either of the female plugs II, the pilot light It will be energized by means of the shunt circuit to indicate that the plugged in device is similarly energized and this unit provides an indication of a live circuit and of a completed circuit through the 4 plugged in device and the fuse is of such an antperage less than the main fuse in the maincircuit to protect the plugged in device or rather the protect the main circuit from any overload or short circuit that may be found in the plugged in device as the fuse I5 will burn out before the fuse in the main circuit and out out any overload or defective unit that may be plugged in.

Various changes or modificationsv may be made in the general combination or manner of connecting the component parts to provide an electrical connecting element for indicating the conditions above described without departing from the spirit of this invention and this invention shall be limited only by the appended claims.

- What is claimed is: V l. A receptacle for a cartridge fuse and a pair of pilot lights, comprising a body of insulating material formed for cooperating upper and lower sections, said sections having cooperating recesses formed in the abutting surfaces thereof, a pair of U-shaped clip members mounted in the recess in the lower of said sections in spaced apart relation to hold the cartridge fuse, a male plug-and afemale plug, said male lug connected on one side to one side of saidfemale plu said male plu connected on its opposite, side to one of said U -shaped clips, the opposite U -shaped clip in turn connected to the opposite side of said female plu a first pilot light connected across the male plug connections, a second pilotlight connected to one side of said female plug connections and to the exterior of the other sideof said female plug, said exterior connection to be completed when a male plug is inserted in said female plug connection,

means for detachably interconnecting said insulated sections, means to indicate when said re.- ceptacle has been plugged into a live circuit and means to indicate when a closed circuit is connectedto said female plug 5' r 2. A receptacle for a cartridge fuse, switch and a pair of pilot lights, comprising abody of insulating material formed for cooperating upper and lower sections, said sections having cooperating recesses formed in the abutting. surfaces thereof, a pair of vU -shaped clip members mounted in the recess in the lowerofsaid sections in spaced apart relation to hold the cartridge fuse, a switch mounted inthe recess in the lower of said sections, a male plug and a female plug, said male plug connected on one side to one side of said female plug, said male plug comiected on its opposite side to one of said U-shaped clips, the ope posite U-shaped clip in turn connected to one 3, A fuse and pilot light adaptor comprising a body member formed of insulating material, a cartridge fuse arranged within the insulated body member, a pairrof pilot lights arranged in said body member, a male-plug and a ffeniale plug connected to said body member, means to connect one side of the male plug to one side of said; female plug, means to connect thejopposite, side of said male plug to, said fuse, means tqconnect the opposite' side of said fuse to said opposite side of said female plug, a pair of pilot lights. the first pilot light. connected across $1 male plug, the second pilot light connected to one side of said female plug and to the exterior of the other side of said female plug, said exterior connection to be completed when a male plug is inserted in said female plug connection, means to insert a cartridge fuse of smaller amperage than the fuse used in the live circuit into which the adaptor is to be plugged, means to indicate said adaptor is connected to a live circuit, andqneans to indicate when a closed circuit is plugge'dinto said adaptor.

4. A fuse switch and pilotlight adaptor comprising a body member formed of insulating material, a cartridge fuse arranged within the insulated body member, a pain-of pilot lights and switch arranged in said body member, a male plug and a female plug connected to said body member, means to connect one side of the male plug to one side of said female plug, means to connect, the opposite side of said male plug to said fuse, means to connect the opposite side of 6 said fuse to one side 'of said switch, means to connect the opposite side of said switch to said opposite side of said female plug, a pair of pilot REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES rAT N'rs Number Name Date 2,224,737 Lockwood Dec. 10, 1940 2,471,633 Lutz May 31, 1949 

